Memories of a Talking beast
by PadrePedro
Summary: This is a short story diving into the life of one of the personalities of my third fan fiction "For all to know." For context maybe that one should be read first; but as a story this can stand for itself. Did you know that sometimes Narnians come to our world to help?
1. Chapter 1

In Aslan's Service

This is a short story diving into the life of one of the personalities of my third fan fiction "For all to know." For context maybe that one should be read first; but as a story this can stand for itself.

**Occupied Narnia, autumn 2263**

All in all, she thought, it was really a lovely day. The bright Narnian sun shone upon the travellers, and its heat warmed them gently when they were not walking under the trees or in the shadows cast by rocks.

And the walk was not too bad, either, even if she had presumed it might have been exhausting. Yes, she was old now, and ill, too; but obviously, her younger mind's appetite for adventure shone through and energised both soul and body. She really did enjoy this, even on the late afternoon of the second day.

The only disadvantage was the harness itching. Narnia's leaders had told her all details they could on the mission. Thus she knew what it was all about, the general goal of the operation, the route to choose, the expected response by the enemy, and even the final contact scenario.

They had asked her if she still felt strong enough to carry the Book (to which question she had only nodded: of course she was still fit enough to serve her country and her Lion!); but, and that was a huge BUT for the moment, they had not foreseen how uncomfortable the straps would be and how much they would end up _itching_!

Promised was promised, however, and she certainly could not back out now, close to the goal as they were. For Aslan and for Narnia she took the pain and would carry the chest with Narnia's most precious treasure. Yes, she would continue to do that. For ever if needed to be, or at last as long as she lived, even though most probably there were not many more hours left.

-"Lieutenant, we are being followed." It was the high pitched voice of a small bird which had just come diving out of the sky.

So there they were, she thought. The enemy! The Telmarine soldiers who knew nothing of our Old Narnia, had never heard of the Four monarchs and served _their_ lord protector (or was he now named king, she could not remember – how strange it was that she crystal clear could recall memories from her earliest days, but not what she heard or learned a week ago!), they doing their duty, to achieve what they thought to be right. Men with wives and children at home just like all living.

Could not Aslan forge those men, who knew nothing really, and faithfully did their duties, innocent in oblivion as they were; with Old Narnia to one peaceful, strong and prosperous unity? But what Aslan wanted to do was yet not known, and the famous book did not foresee the future (as did one Book in another world she had heard of), just told about Creation, who Aslan was and had done.

She had been left to her own thoughts as the contingent were preparing their defence. As she was not part of it, but rather the object of the defence, or rather, carried the object to be defended, she had no other task to perform than continue trotting and carrying, and of course hope for the best!

Well prepared as she was, she did not even flinch when she heard the first arrow flying from the air just behind the ridges beside the road. She was not astounded the least from the fact that the enemy had prepared an ambush right here. Neither was she surprised by how many arrows which hit her.

She opened her mouth, but the cry of pain came out fully silent. Her skin had been pierced by many, many arrows, each hurting horribly. She fell. Around her she could perceive the valiant mice pull out their swords, ready to hinder the enemy to rob her from her famous burden. Cries of battle came from above. The enemy rushed towards her and the treasure she carried. Had carried, she corrected herself. Was no longer carrying, as she had fallen. Even though it was still strapped to her. Still also were those straps _itching!_

Suddenly her life began to pass in front of her eyes. Her brother, almost dying from falling down a waterfall, but rescued in the very last moment by daring beavers, had told her about it. Thus she was not even surprised about this.

She was back to her early days. It was that time, told her memories her, when the sun always shone, it seldom rained, no enemies threatened the little community she was born into; and the green fields with their lovely rest and pasture beside slowly running little creeks were her playing field. She did not really remember it, it was like she was transported back in time. She saw her family, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins (of all sorts, so it was in Narnia, every one was in some mysterious way not only befriended, but also in some way relatives, to any other talking creature, man or beast) and all the fun of her years growing up; running around in freedom!

The scenery changed. She was a young female, right out of school, ready to be betrothed and happy to form a home and foster offspring of her own. She had run an errand and kept as much as possible to the path under the trees on her way home, as it was an unpleasant day and very cold rains were falling and had obviously not yet decided to stop pondering the ground with its hard drops.

Normally she would say that the clouds stopped the sun from lighting up the ground, and thus it was dark out even at mid day; but suddenly, a golden glow lit up in front of her.

It was a different sort of light; she had never seen the like. It was strong, almost piercing, but still both warm and friendly. She was drawn to it, and without knowing why, she slowly went closer.

Suddenly the forest opened to a clearing in front of her. She thought she knew almost every straw of grass in this end of the world, or at least knew so much of the trees that she could be sure that this clearing had not been there all other times she had travelled this path. Had she just realised that, she had not much time to be astounded of it, because she saw that in the clearing no rain was falling.

She could hear heavy drops hit the leaves all around her, but the clearing was dry. No puddles on the ground, no wet grass, not even any drops falling. Had she however taken that in, neither now she had any time to be surprised, because she saw that in the middle of the clearing lay what no one in her flock would ever expect: a large Lion.

The Lion calmly watched her coming, His eyes both boring into her with great power and gazed at her with an outstanding Love. She had never felt so known, ever, and neither so much loved. She had heard of a few Narnians having had this experience, and now she herself experienced what they tried to describe it as: if the Lion decided to eat me, I would still be the happiest talking Beast in all of Narnia!

Then, she got surprised, finally; as the Lion not only kept gazing at her, but also spoke:

-"Welcome, my Daughter, please come closer."

The little female donkey could not resist the glow of those large eyes, and slowly trotted forward.

Even though the Lion did not speak it directly to her, she felt warmly invited to get close. In little time she found herself nuzzling the golden mane of the great Lion. Had she many times heard the genuine Narnian expression 'by the Lion's mane', now she knew what it was and how it felt. It was lovely, peaceful, full of calmness and at the same time power. She could feel all that filling her, but still had no idea why this lovely state so close to the Lion made for such a general expression!

The Lion was in no hurry. He let her breath in His very presence, inhale the love and power, and get happily refreshed.

-"Do you like my Narnia, Dear one?" suddenly the Lion interrupted her brilliant experience.

-"Oh, Sir,; yes, very much!" she exclaimed. Not that she was aware of much else, young and on her way to grow up in the very grooves she were born, living there with her flock as they had done for generations in a calm and quiet corner of Narnia. Yes, she really did like it here. But . . .

-"Yes, you are right, my Young dear one," said the Lion, just like He was reading her thoughts. "My family loves Narnia, but all is not fully well here and many Narnians, your cousins, are suffering."

-"Is there anything you can ask me to help?"

For a moment the Donkey was back in the present, laying bleeding, hurt and maybe dying on a road in oppressed Narnia. So, that is when it all really started, she pondered, I had volunteered to help! And this was the great and final task to perform in His Royal service. How different it could have been if she had not been young and stupid and blurted out things like that, not knowing what she said. Or would it? After all, it was not she that had summoned the Lion, it was He who had come to reveal Himself to her. She then realised that His will would have been done, were she more mature and had been able to keep her mouth shut, or not!

And with that she was back into her memory.

-"Yes, my dear, there is. There really IS! But not now, because what you can do for your flock, the cousins and my Narnia, will require great skill and experience and that only comes with age."

At this the little donkey felt very downcast. Whas this not what all and everybody always said to her? That she was too young, to immature, did not know what to say or what to do, that she should know her place and just listen and learn?

By any strange reason the Lion did not seem to think anything like that. Instead he continued:

-"Now, instead, my Dear, you could do something to help My family, as it is in need of help in another world."

In another world? Well, of course, the young donkey had heard the stories of the golden age, when two sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve, had been called into Narnia to help free it from the long and cruel reign of the White witch. So, she was aware of that there must be worlds beside Narnia the Lion had created and creatures there He cared for.

-"You have been to a good school, Dear, I know that you have heard of the four Monarchs I brought here to usher in the Golden age for Narnia."

To this the young Donkey could only nod, thinking back fondly to the little village school she had attended with so many other Narnian children; and to the old raven teacher they had had.

-"So," continued the Lion, "I am sending you to their world, but not to their country or to their time. No, I need you in the centre of that world, many, many centuries before the Pevensie children were ever born. You, see, an angry king is about to do something really bad and evil towards my family in that world."

The little donkey felt sad that everywhere the Lion had family they were maltreated and abused, not just in her world.

-"There is a donkey in that world who happens to be very like you. On the outside that is. Mentally the two of you are very different, and only you can speak. And what I need now I can not possibly ask of a poor beast that is not able to oblige. So, I ask it of you instead."

And so it came to pass, that while a Narnian heroine was offering up her life and death in Aslan's service, her life was flashing before here eyes and she remembered all and everything He had told her.

-"Most important, dear, is that you stay totally silent until you hear my whisper in your heart. You must not speak until then. Now, come close me and gain strength from me for your journey and for fulfilling your task!"


	2. Chapter 2

In Bileam's service

First my humble thanks to Treehugger for a kind review. It is true that English is a second language to me, and I am happy when it is understood, even if just barely.

And of course, Narnia belongs not to me but the heirs of C S Lewis, who's universe I just borrow for some short chapters to enjoy myself while writing.

I try to update every 6th day, as always, Trehugger; and apologise for the fact that this story is set more in our world than in Narnia!

**Occupied Narnia, autumn 2263**

**Tellus, Levant, late bronze age**

They had been travelling for two days and even though her old legs hurt a bit from moving so much it had been a nice time. Add to that the joy of being in the service of Narnia and its Lion!

The lovely sunny afternoon was however turned red as evening came. By the setting sun, of course, but also by the ambush, turning the road into a battle field.

She lay wounded, bleeding, pierced by enemy arrows, but yet aware that the chest she was carrying was still tied to her back by itching straps.

Around her a contingent of mice was defending the content of the chest, fighting the enemy with their short swords and and high pitched battle cries. But before her own yes passed her life, just like before all eyes of the dying.

Aslan had told her what she would do, and how much she could tell her flock. She did catch quite some attention when she came home later that evening, dry in spite of the rain and insisting of her meeting with the King over all kings of Narnia. Had it not been that not even a hair in her fur was wet, she might not have been believed, but only dismissed as playing children's games!

Now she was believed, and a bit marvelled at, as having met the Lion, but definitely not envied. No talking donkey in her (or his, for that matter) right mind would ever like to be sent off to another world, exchanged for a dumb beast and living as a servant to a magician, pretending to be his own riding animal not allowed to speak a word and far away from her (or his!) own flock and country. And why so? Just because she was a look-alike, on the outside identical to the dumb beast she had to pretend to be. No, that was not something a normal donkey would even dream of doing.

She, was, however, no normal, settled down and calm donkey. Hearing the stories of old in school, she had taken a special liking to them, and when not in class beginning to dream of and hope for at least something like that happening to her. Was this the reason Aslan had come to her? Or had he from the beginning put the yearning for adventure in her heart, and this only fulfilling what was His will for her in the first place?

It was after sunset a few days later the Lion came for her. This time his glow lit her family also, and assured her parents and siblings that she would be perfectly safe, protected by Him all the way to the world of the Four and back; He himself going to be with her there, even though He was known to the sons of Adam and the daughter of Eve under another name.

After saying goodbye to her flock, and the flock saying farewell to both her and Aslan, she was off; whisked away to another world, exchanged for another donkey looking exactly liker on the outside and slept a first night below stars she had never seen in warmth unknown to her.

When the morning came, she drank a lot of water and then grazed on straw left over from what must have been a harvest of some sort of grain; what she did not know.

Before the heat she was saddled by her new owner, an old man in robes with a long beard, and so they travelled around the area he lived. That sort of travel in the early mornings became routine to her, with naps for them both in the afternoons when it was to warm to work or walk outside.

Her new owner (even if he did not know he had a new donkey!) visited people in their homes and tended to their needs. It could be a new born son of Adam or daughter of Eve who needed some sort of strangely worded blessing. Some human could be ill and needed healing. Others wanted to know of their future and asked for divination of it or fortune telling. From all this she concluded that the old man must be a magician of sorts.

He was always kind to her, did not ride long distances but often walked part of their journey beside her; talked gently to her, shared his water and sometimes even dried fruit with her. Dates or figs he called the fruit, and it tasted nice and sweet, even though she had to spit out the stones of the dates; but this was food she had never tasted in Narnia. Maybe in the far south Calormen they grew, if she could correctly remember her school teacher.

One day she was not saddled for any journey. The night before two men wearing precious clothes had come to visit her owner; followed by several armed guards. Her owner's garden had become a camp of soldiers and nobles of sorts, and negotiations were done for several days, with grand dinner offered by either her owner or his guests.

In the end the visitors were leaving, however, and it seemed the magician had decided to not do what they wanted. The donkey had heard him mention the name of Aslan in his language one night, and thought the Lion may had revealed himself to him, asking him to decline the offer all those fine men came to give him.

But not more than a month later they were back. Many more this time, with camels loaded with fine gifts. It was that morning Aslan spoke to her the first time in this world.

-"Dear heart, I have spoken to the man who thinks you are his property. He shall follow the men who came for him, but only do as I tell him. Be ready to do a lot of walking!"

The young donkey could almost feel the smile conveyed from her King and Master at the end of this line.

Two days later they were on the way. They travelled from the first light until it got too hot, then had food, water and mid day rest. Some days they felt strong enough to look for some famous site when the evening breeze blew consolingly on them, other days they made camp and stayed over night.

The little donkey loved the camp fires, with story telling and music. Pretending to sleep, she could listen and learn a lot.

Obviously Aslan's family had originally come from a place not far from where Aslan had sent her, and in the beginning it had been very small. Invited as guests in a foreign rich country, it had grown and prospered, but in the end the ruler of that kingdom became envious and scared of them. So that ruler used violence and enslaved them.

Living in a Narnia ruled by Telmarines was not so bad, after all, the little donkey thought. It did not give all the freedom everybody had wanted, but at least living partially in hiding meant a real life, and certainly not being enslaved and forced to work hard; building walls and making bricks from mud. She was happy Aslan had sent her to help his family here!

One later night she learnt that Aslan had already gone before her. He had called one of the ruling class, a prince even, to go and demand freedom for the enslaved. Many nights by the camp fire was needed to explain how the oppressors were hit by one problem after the other for refusing a release of the slaves. But eventually, they had been granted the permission to leave.

Now, as long time had gone, Aslan's family was almost home. Just a little bit of a journey remained. Only the permission to traverse a tiny kingdom, and they would be there.

She could not hinder her ears perking up high, hearing the present state of her cousins. The former slaves. The lord of the little kingdom they needed to pass – refused!

How cruel could any one be – and worse, the king had sent ambassadors to her owner. They had asked him to come and do evil magic tricks to harm her cousins!

She gritted her teeth. How could they! Had they no respect for other living beings? No respect even for the Creator of this world, if not for those being His?

She, being a donkey, could get herself really angry at times, and stubbornly persevere in being that. For ages, would her flock say about her. But the Lion never spoke about her, only to her:

-"Peace my Dear," rang Aslan's voice so clear to her that she glanced around to see if not all of the travellers had also heard; but no one even seemed to have noticed. "I have already told your Master to go, to join these men; but not to speak neither do nothing I command not!"

-"In this, you must help. Strangely enough, you see, will he listen better to you than to his own heart or even to me. That is why you are here, to be my messenger and my voice spoken!"


	3. Chapter 3

On the Road

Again thanks to reviewer Treehugger, to the readers - and of cours to C S Lewis for creating Narnia!

And special greetings from us in Sweden having National day tomorrow, June 6.

**Occupied Narnia, autumn 2263**

Tellus, Levant, late bronze age

It had not begun so well, she remembered, as she lay bleeding and her life flashed before her eyes. Aslan had sent her to help one who should be serving the Lion, but now seemed to waiver in his commitment. Yes, Aslan, in the shape he took in this world, had spoken to him, but still it seemed that the tempting gold and reputation was taking its toll on him. Maybe it was step by step getting under his skin, and making him ready to do evil things for earthly profit.

That morning, after two weeks of travel, they passed a lovely area where the road had fruit gardens on each side. The little donkey could see branches of trees hanging out over the gardens' high stone walls, and the scent from each one of the gardens was lovely. It was a mix of flowers, spices, herbs and fruit.

Suddenly, beside her, she felt a presence and could barely out of a corner of an eye see a man robed in white. A very shining white it was and the man himself was both very handsome, as far as a little donkey can assess that, and seemed to have some glory of his own, glowing or shining in a strange, but still pleasant way.

The little donkey startled when he softly called out her name. That was not something she had at all expected. In this world, who could know?

-"Fear not, sister, I am a messenger of the God most High, and in this world I convey oracles from Him who in your world lets Himself be seen as a Lion. You know him as Aslan, we sometimes do address him 'Lord'."

Yes, she thought, who else could know her name.

-"The Lord most High did speak to your master, dear sister, but money and fame weights heavily on his mind, and it is needed that you help your master really remember."

-"Therefore you will meet one of my brethren in the field behind these gardens. He will tell you what to do, but you may not yet speak. After the field are more walls, and the path will get narrow. There you will meet a third messenger of the Lord. He will let you open your mouth and speak to your master what is on your mind. Please do so. He is in need of it."

-"In all of this, do not fear, because Aslan is with you, and several of his spiritual servants, like me, will be with you all the time, even if you do not see them or feel their presence."

As she trotted on, carrying her master, she realised that this must be what Aslan had taken her to the world of the Four monarchs for (even though it was neither their time, nor their country). She hoped she could do what was expected of her, so that if ever they were told, they would be proud; knowing they had inspired her to do her duty by the glorious example they had themselves set during their reign after they had defeated the White witch. Oh, had it not been good if they had been here? Were not the witch-defeaters better equipped to take on a master being a magician? However, they were not, and it had fallen on her to do her part, and that she intended to do.

Realising that the air had changed, she came back from her thoughtfulness. Gone was the scent of a garden, and instead stretched in front of the travellers a field, quite vast. What had grown here had been cut, sheep grazed on what was left on the ground, and far off ploughing was done with several pairs of oxen. The little donkey recalled hearing that there could be two times of harvest each year, and in the warm weather, with no winters like in Narnia, she was not surprised that it was possible.

Suddenly the road was blocked! In front of her stood another of those men in shining white robes. As she was prepared for this, the little donkey listened apprehensively for a message to come.

-"Good morning, sister! I send you greetings from the Lord most High, and His wishes for your well being! As for now, sister, you are not to obey your master when he wishes to travel on today. Instead you should turn off the road just before the end of the field, opposite the path from the men ploughing, and stay there. You may need all the stubbornness Aslan has equipped you with., I must add (and here the little donkey could see a smile twitch on the messenger's face) as this is right now not exactly what your master might like."

And as suddenly as he had come, the man in white was gone. It seemed no one but the little donkey had heard or even noticed him at all.

She did however what she was told. Right before the field ended in an irrigation canal, the little donkey saw a pleasant shadow under palm trees, and without asking (she was, after all, not yet released to speak) she calmly left the road and turned towards the trees.

Her master reacted immediately, obviously due to the change of direction, and tried to rein in his animal. Hurting as her mouth did, she ignored him, and went slowly on towards the groove of palms. She could hear her master mutter angrily from having lost control, and also the chatter and laughters of the noble men following him; those who had come to take him back to their king.

Had her master been angry at first, he did not weaken in heart seeing the little donkey did not budge to his attempts to steer her back unto the road, so they could all cross the irrigation canal on the bridge having been in front of them. He tried harder, and she hurt worse, but kept going.

After several fruitless attempts to get his will done, the master must have realised that the direction set by his riding animal was not as bad after all, because he ended his attempts to steer and instead let the donkey go her way. When she stopped in the shade, he hopped off, petted her head., and did even speak kindly to her:

-"By the Most high, have I not a donkey that is wiser than I am myself? Has she not realised that the day is getting too hot for travel and the company of nobles do need water, food and rest? Has she not led us to the best place for camp within sight (and as the land was flat, the best in many miles)?"

As day dawned, they had broken their camp after calm sleep. The meal the day before seemed to all be the best so far, but the little donkey did not take much heed to the stories told by the fire. It was a lengthy discussions of the abilities and powers of the local deities, with many strange names and personalities. Only when this foreign pantheon was compared to the God of Aslan's family, she did take heed. She was not surprised to hear that all the mighty gods worshipped all over the land of oppression were not powerful enough to stand against her own Lion (even if He showed Himself never in the shape of a Lion here), and she even got happy when it was told that the king who had invited her master doubted if his own god would be strong enough and thus had asked her master to come and do evil tricks to weaken the family of Aslan, so he might beat and defeat them. As if!

The sun had not risen high, so they had not gone far, when the little donkey saw another light in front of her. It was the third of the shining men, and he stood right in the middle of the road and made it hard to pass. The little donkey had to squeeze through on one side, in the process scratching her master's leg against the wall beside the road. That infuriated him hotly, and he screamed at her, angry words she could not understand as such, but felt the wrath of from the way he spoke them.

Not five hundred steps further along the road, the walls closed in and the path got narrow. And just there, again, stood the third messenger, smiling at the little donkey, but not letting her pass.

As she stopped, her already angry master pulled out his whip and hit her. No reaction from her side, she were hit over and over, harder and harder. But she could not continue, so in the end she just laid down, with the whip and angry worlds hurled to her. It was then the third messenger talked:

-"Now, Dear sister, speak!"


	4. Chapter 4

On Speaking Terms

Thanks to Treehugger and Elvish Kiwi's favorite sister for reviews!

And apologies to both - to Treehugger for not really being able to keep the reader in dark so long as to where the story is going - but beware, we have not reached the end yet, surprises might still come - and to the Favourite sister for not knowing the donkey's name; however a gush of Aslan's life blew upon me with the impression of a humble, but still sweet mountain flower, indigenous to Narnia only; maybe the donkey and the flower bears the same name?

**Occupied Narnia, autumn 2263**

**Tellus, Levant, late bronze age**

She lay wounded, bleeding, pierced by enemy arrows, and yet very much alive. In fact all her life passed in front of her eyes. She remembered when Aslan had taken her to the world the Four had come from. Once she had been hurt and bleeding there also.

The whip whirled around her defenceless shape, as she lay on the road. In front of her the man in white, shining robe, the messenger of the Most high God, behind her noble men guarded by four soldiers. Having had no where to go, she just laid down, letting the master abuse her. But she had heard the messenger tell her that she could now speak, whenever she wished.

And when the master" in his furious anger threw away the whip, and lifted his heavy staff to hit the little donkey, she did in fact speak:

-"What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"

Her master obviously was so angry that he did not find it strange that his riding animal suddenly did open her mouth and speak, and said to the donkey:

"Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!" But the donkey said to him:

-"Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?" And he said:

-"No."

And suddenly her master also saw the messenger blocking the road, and obviously it also spoke to him, and rebuked him, and told him of Aslan's words that he ought not to go, but as he had now still gone, he was only to do as the Lord most high had said and say only what He had commanded to him.

That was not a very glorious beginning, she thought, the little donkey, speaking the first time having to rebuke her master. But it was better later on, and she and her master actually became quite good friends.

So it came to be, that after camp fire had faded and the stories were told; when the other travellers retreaded to bed, her master came to pretend to see to her, with the real intention of having a chat. And she told her of her home, of her country, so different from his; and of her Lion, who had in fact sent her her to speak to him.

-"A Lion! The Lord most high revealing himself as a Lion in your world," had her master reacted at hearing about Aslan. "That is impressive, impressive indeed! How much fear would not such a god cause in those who saw Him!"

That was true, she told, seeing the Lion (not speaking about hearing him roar) was enough to make even the bravest really weak in their knees. Yes, true, but more important was His love, the great appreciation and support He extended to every one He met!

That the young Donkey worshipped a lion did not seem to bother her master, at least not very much. In his world many gods of almost any shape were worshipped. Only one was different, one of less significance, he had thought, worshipped by a small band of Bedouin calling themselves the Sashu.

They worshipped an invisible god, her master told the donkey, and seemed to shudder just at that thought.

-"You see, there can be no invisible gods," her master told her frankly. "Every deity must of course have a tangible shape, so we can make a representation of it." Later the Greeks would call that 'an idol'. "I originally thought those Sashu must have had too much sun on their heads, or too much heat from wandering their desert. I thought they were mad! But,"

What the master had wanted to continue was not known to the little donkey, because he was called back to the camp fire by the other travellers. So it was, really, that the chats between master and his riding animal always were very short, just a few minutes while he was tending to her when they did make camp each afternoon.

That the beasts could talk in Narnia was neither any problem to the master, nor that her lion god had in fact sent this donkey here to replace his own. Of course the gods could do more or less what they wanted! Strange it was, unheard of even, that some one was sent from another world; but definitely impossible: No!

Furthermore, told her the master one evening after a specially long walk, how wrong he had been in his assessment of the invisible god of the Sashu. He had thought it to be a mere mirage, or maybe a minor desert deity, whose whisper long ago was catching the attention of Bedouin, not being able to be even heard in the noisy, buzzing of Asshur or Babylon (the Greeks would later call it Mesopotamia).

However, he said, with a great emphasis on that word 'however', this deity the Egyptians spelled 'Yahu' certainly had made a name to himself in recent days. He had called a son of Egypt (son is moses in Egyptian tongue) on the Mountain of Horeb, back in Sashu-land, and called him to go to Pharaoh and ask his people to be released! This was no mere mirage of heat struck simple minds, this was not at all a minor deity, submitting to one of the high gods. Yahu stepped forward to show himself as really someone!

A later night the little donkey was served the whole story of how the spokesman for Yahu had come to the ruler of Egypt to get an entire enslaved people free. The story continued for twelve nights, each one with the gruesome story of the Sahu-god Yahu striking and defeating on at a time of the mighty Egyptian gods. There was the river-god, the god of snakes, of frogs, of flies, of locusts.

By now the little donkey had began to be suspicious. Would her own Lion Aslan have anything to do with this world's mighty god Yahu?

Mighty Yahu was, told her the master another evening, when their travels had remained just a few days. In the end he led his people against all the will and might of Egypt. Out to freedom; and now they were ready to enter a land Yahu had promised to them. It was just that on their way was this king, who had fretted for them and asked the master to help against them. Offered great reward, the master had decided to follow.

Yes, he could believe the donkey was sent, that she could speak and that it might even be the same deity here and there; that the Yahu of the Bedouin was revealing himself like a Lion in Narnia. The master had chewed mentally on that thought and been able to take that in. One thing he could not apprehend, however, was that this world-spanning, combined and mighty deity would _love_!

Loving gods were simply unheard of. The gods lived off what the humans offered them in all their temples, and sometimes in return granted one human request or another. Such divine interventions were to show humans that the gods _ruled_. They might need the humans to till the earth to give some offerings, yes; but they certainly did not _love_!

Of this, however, the little donkey was most persistent. Her Lion loved, and she knew that from her own personal experience. To a horrified gasp from her master she had told that she had met the Lion himself. And spoken to him personally! No words could express the acceptance and love she had felt, even thought the Lion knew all about her, good and bad, small and large. In spite of not being able to express herself, she tried to tell her master.

-"What was the motif of Yahu to send his man to release his people?" Asked the donkey the last of nights before they would reach their goal.

The master did not answer at first. It took him some time, but eventually he seemed to grasp it.

-"He freed a people because he loved them? He led them on their way home, because of that, and he is now going to let them into their new home. So that is the state of things. His people is waiting for another miracle he will do for them; and nothing can stand in his way."

The morning after, when coming to saddle his donkey, the master said:

-"I have seen him. In a dream this night. And I felt it. All He is and all He wants, just like you told me of Him. And he reminded me of what he had told me before; to follow the men but do and say only what He orders me. And so I will do. To whatever cost, now, since I really have gotten to know him."

-"I must thank Him, and thank you; Him for sending you, you for coming and teaching me!"

_End note: The first dialogue between the donkey and her master is taken from Numbers 22:28 – 30, as translated by the scholars into NRSV of the Holy Bible._


	5. Chapter 5

Epilogues in Remembrance of a Donkey

Well, did I not tell from the beginning that this was to be a short story?

Thanks for your interest, both readers and reviewers!

**Occupied Narnia, autumn 2263**

**Aslan's Country, outside time**

She lay dying, pierced by enemy arrows, and her whole life had passed in front of her eyes.

Then she was engulfed in a golden glow, and what she so long ago had got to know as the very breath of the Great lion Aslan lifted her and whisked her away.

Suddenly she felt age free and young and began to happily run around on a huge field with green fresh grass.

-"Welcome my dear!" It was voice she knew very well, and her heart leapt with joy from hearing it.

And she run, with all her returned youthful speed all the way to the Great lion, who in all His glory stood there in front of her.

-"Well done, and well lived, my daughter," continued the Lion. "You have served me so well!"

-"But my Lord and King, I had time and strength do do so very little."

-"That is not how the Emperor over the sea, my Father, measures things, Dear. The important thing is whether you did what I had asked you to do."

And before the little donkey had time to search her own heart and memory for times she did not, and begin to tremble in fear from a righteous judgement, the Lion continued:

-"Which you did!" And to even more surprise the donkey, he went further:

-"You will have time to meet all your dear ones, and many legendary figures from the past, but not yet the four Monarchs, because their time in their world is not yet over. In fact, their time in Narnia is not yet over. So you will have to wait for them to greet you – but be not surprised when you do, I mean that it is not only you who know about them; they also happen to know about you! I will tell no more, to give all of you the joy of sharing memories."

-"But now we must all go," and it was here the little donkey saw she was not alone. Around her and the Lion stood several of the Old Narnians she had travelled with, and curiously enough even a man, unknown to her, but wearing shining Telmarine armour.

-"Come", cried the Lion, "we must further in and higher up!"

And He began walking in front of them, and they all followed. And Aslan's walk became a trot, and it sped up further so they all jogged, and even faster; into a run. And they all enjoyed the speed, and tried to be surprised that they kept up with Him; but found that they could not!

**Finchley, 1942**

-" Wasn't that a lovely Dinner! You are so good at making splendid food out of the little that our coupons can allow us, Susan."

It was the Pevensie family who were together again. The war was over for their father, having been sent home wounded from fighting, but continuing for a struggling British empire, and all things had still to be shared equally. Susan had indeed made the most of almost nothing, and her family really enjoyed it immensely!

Then her father had retired to have a smoke, and their mother to visit a friend of hers, widowed by the war, and the Four were alone in the drawing room of their Finchley home.

-"And was it not a touch of Narnia in it," said Peter with appreciation in his voice."

Susan laughed heartily.

-"What we can not have there, let us still try to keep here", she said. "until Aslan calls us back. For how long time has it been now, Edmund?"

-"One year at school," sighed Susan's younger brother. "I so wished we could be back Home soon, now when school is over and we finally are together again in one and the same place, all of us!"

-"Aslan has it all between his mighty paws," said Lucy, the girl with a large heart, always ready to help keep the other's faith up, "But I really have something to tell you three."

Remembering how Lucy back at the professor's large house had unsuccessfully tried to tell them of her encounter with a faun, living in a very long winter, in a world different from their own; they all fell silent, knowing that Lucy had something special to share.

-"Aslan sent us to Narnia, because He needed humans to rule it, did He not?" began Lucy.

To this the three others responded with low-voiced acknowledgements and nods. So Lucy went on:

-"What about Aslan took someone to our world, to help and serve Him here?"

The other three former monarchs of Narnia had to think before they spoke.

-"A year ago," began Susan their response. "I would just have said this was all illogical. There was no proof of other worlds even existing, much less of any one travelling from one to another. But then I travelled myself to another world. So from my experience, I can not . . ."

As Susan seem to falter for words, Edmund stepped up to her aid:

-"You can not deem a visit from Narnia utterly impossible!"

-"Who can do that, after we got to know Aslan," said Peter. "But, Lucy, we are, after the lesson you taught us in the Wardrobe last year, sure that you are not making this up."

A laughter of four well harmonised voices filled the air, and it took some time before Peter could continue. They all remember having made fools of themselves back then. All but Lucy, of course!

-"So, you must have seen something, or heard something . . ."

-"Or read something," smiled Edmund, the major book worm among the four. "A guess not to hard to make, as you, Lucy, does keep an open book in your lap."

Now it was Lucy's turn to laugh and mumble something about her younger brother not having lost his Narnian ways of reading all like open books.

-"Oh yes, my Kings, I did indeed read a story. And with your permission, and with yours, sister mine and Queen, I wish to tell you of it."

-"it was long ago in our world, and Aslan, in the form He has here; had a servant and a spokesman who was Him faithful. Only one day a king came with lots of gold and promised the man fame and reputation – if he were to abandon his righteous ways and let himself be paid to do evil."

At this she was met by three small gasps. No one of the Four could ever even think of betraying the great Lion, as they had now met Him.

-"But Aslan, with the voice he uses in our world, spoke to the man; and later used a Donkey."

The Donkey rebuked the man when he could not travel fast enough to get his fame and king's pay. Listen to the tale, your Majesties, as this is what the donkey said, when hit by her owner's staff:

-"What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" and "Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you this way?"

-"And the man," continued Lucy, realised that the donkey had spoken well, and saw that he was on the wrong ways – and later he again insisted of serving Aslan in the shape He takes here. Might she not be a talking beast from Narnia, which Aslan sent to restore the servitude of His spokesman?"

Again there was a pensive silence while the three other Pevensies thought the matter through.

-"As Susan already said," began the High King, "Impossible it is not."

-"But proof is not extensive," said the Just King. "We can not deny it, but not surely decide this was indeed a talking animal."

-"Dear brothers mine," smiled Susan, "let us think this over logically. What would be the easiest way to accomplish this? To make a dumb ass talk, or send a Narnian one already talking?"

-"Of course," my Queen and sister, "you have powerful arguments indeed! I am more sure now than ever Aslan sent a donkey here. Oh, how I wish we could meet her and hear all her story! Would you all not want to know all they talked about, the donkey and her master, after she was revealed as a talking beast?"

That they all willed, of course, but knew that they would have to wait until Aslan made that for them possible; in Narnia or in His own Country.

-"Is it not lovely that her story was written down, so we could learn about her so long after?"

-"Lovely it is! And speaking about stories, does any one of you think our story ever will be written, too?"

Thank you. . .

. . . all who read, the ones who sent private messages and published public reviews!

Like a submarine I have been visible at the surface for a short while, and now I am out again.

No promises for when I can begin the story of the stories about Karl, knight of Narnia.

Sorry and apologies, Pedro


End file.
